The NY Times’ Thomas Friedman is a bit upset that his lord and master Barack H. Obama won’t talk about all his accomplishments, without realizing that most of Obama’s accomplishments are seen in a negative light by Americans
DURING a recent discussion in Seattle with a group of educators, one of them surprised me when she pointed out that even though their state did not win President Obama’s education “Race to the Top,†that program was critical in spurring education reform in Washington State. As I listened to her analysis, the thought occurred to me: I wonder how Barack Obama would do if he ran for president as himself. … How he would do if he ran for re-election on all the things he’s accomplished but rarely speaks about.
He’d probably be looking at a historic re-election loss.
Barack Obama is a great orator, but he is the worst president I’ve ever seen when it comes to explaining his achievements, putting them in context, connecting with people on a gut level through repetition and thereby defining how the public views an issue.
Yeah, he’s a great orator when speaking from a telepromptor. When you get him speaking without, he stumbles and stutters (which is also a sign that attempting to stretch the truth and/or lie)
Think about this: Is there anyone in America today who doesn’t either have a pre-existing medical condition or know someone who does and can’t get health insurance as a result? Yet two years after Obama’s health care bill became law, how many Americans understand that once it is fully implemented no American with a pre-existing condition will ever again be denied coverage?
Most understand that. They also understand that measures like that one were thrown in to make ObamaCare more popular amongst all the stuff that is highly unpopular.
Think about this: Obama didn’t just save the auto industry from bankruptcy. Two years later, he also got all the top U.S. automakers to agree to increase mileage for their vehicle fleets to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, from 27.5 m.p.g. today. As Popular Mechanics put it, this “is the largest mandatory fuel economy increase in history.†It will drive innovation, save money and make America less dependent on petro-dictators. Did you know Obama did this?
Think about this: he shuttered a huge number of auto dealers, resulting in huge layoffs, leading to closures and layoffs in the businesses, such as parts supply, that supported those auto dealers, and it was done in a political manner. As for increasing MPG, the automakers didn’t have a choice but to accept, since this was a rule handed down by the EPA. That should be apparent to Tom, what with the “largest mandatory….” bit. Thousands are killed each due to CAFE standards, not too mention the increased cost of vehicles.
Finally, how did Obama ever allow this duality to take hold: “The Bush tax cuts†versus the “Obama bailout� It should have been “the Bush deficit explosion†and the “Obama rescue.†Sure, the deficit has increased under Obama. It was largely to save the country from going into a Depression after a Bush-era binge that included two wars — which, for the first time in our history, we not only did not pay for with tax increases but instead accompanied with tax cuts — plus a 2003 Medicare prescription drug bill that we could not afford, then or now. Congressional Democrats also had a hand in this, but the idea that Bush gets to skate off into history as a “tax-cutter†and not as a “deficit buster†is a travesty. You can’t just blame Fox News. Obama has the bully pulpit.
So, Obama was saving the country by giving us historic deficits and over $5 trillion (that’s $5,000,000,000,000) in new debt in 3 years. He wasted $850 billion on his failed Stimulus. He’s saddled America with trillions in new unpaid liabilities. And unemployment is still high, consumer confidence is still low, people are abandoning the job market in record numbers, GDP is pathetic, personal savings and disposable income are very low, and consumer prices are going up up up. I agree, Tom, I’d like to hear Obama talk about those things.
In sum, Obama’s campaign right now feels as though it were made in a test tube by political consultants. It’s not the Obama we admire. Rather than pounding the country with “I have a plan†— a rebuilding stimulus plus Simpson-Bowles — which would be an Obama-like message of hope, leadership and unity that would put him on higher ground that Romney can’t reach because of the radical G.O.P. base, Obama is selling poll-tested wedge issues. I don’t think it’s a winner for him or America.
In sum, out here in the Real World Obama’s record is pitiful. Interestingly, his few wins are things that Liberals do not like, such as “assassinating” bin Laden. Drone strikes against Islamist terrorists. But, we can also talk about the expansion of anti-terror programs. He hasn’t reigned in the TSA, which has gone nuts under his presidency. Operation Fast and Furious. Etc and so on. He can’t talk about his signature “accomplishments”, because they are only accomplishments in ObamaZombie world. All he’s left with are wedge issues, known as shiny distractions.
Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.
Read: Friedman: “If Only Obama Would Talk About His Super Awesome Record” »
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